Morning spin

Votes are still being counted in Pennsylvania, but one thing is already clear.\
\
\
In a state where we trailed by more than 25 points just a couple weeks ago, you helped close the gap to a slimmer margin than most thought possible.\
\
\
Thanks to your support, with just 9 contests remaining, we’ve won more delegates, more votes, and twice as many contests.\
\
\
We hold a commanding position, but there are two crucial contests coming up — voters will head to the polls in North Carolina and Indiana in exactly two weeks. And we’re already building our organization in the other remaining states.\
\
\
But it’s clear the attacks are going to continue, and we’re going to continue fighting a two-front battle against John McCain and Hillary Clinton.\
\
\
I need your support right now. Please make a donation of $25:\
\
\
https://donate.barackobama.com/whatthismeans\
\
\
Thank you for all that you’re doing to change our country.\
Barack

To: Interested Parties\
From: The Clinton Campaign\
Date: April 23, 2008\
RE: The Tide Is Turning\
\
The voters in Pennsylvania have spoken. America is listening. And the tide is turning.\
\
\
By providing fresh evidence that Hillary is the candidate best positioned to beat John McCain in the fall, the Pennsylvania primary is a turning point in the nominating contest.\
\
\
Despite making an unprecedented financial investment in his Pennsylvania campaign, including millions on negative ads in the closing days of the race, Sen. Obama again failed to win a state that will be vital to a Democratic victory in November and spurred new questions about his ability to beat John McCain. No candidate has ever had more resources or enjoyed the kind of momentum that Sen. Obama had in Pennsylvania.\
\
\
With concerns about the economy paramount, voters decided that Sen. Clinton was the candidate they trusted most to deal with job loss, the housing crisis and health care.\
\
\
And with both candidates under the microscope at the same time for the first time, Hillary took more than a few punches and came out stronger while Sen. Obama emerged weaker as voters learned more about him. The exit polls clearly show that Sen. Clinton gained strength in the final days when the campaign was most engaged.\
\
\
The reason for the Clinton comeback is clear: voters want a candidate who will stand strong for them and work to create a better future.

The battle over “bitter” is bleeding into the electorate, with all signs pointing to more ugly fights before the next Democratic presidential contests.\
\
\
Polarized Pennsylvania voters yesterday mirrored the sentiment among Democrats nationwide — with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s and Sen. Barack Obama’s supporters standing firm with their choices and suggesting that they wouldn’t back the other — signaling a dangerously divisive race for the Democrats in the weeks to come.\
\
\
The razor-sharp negative campaign — increasing in nastiness by the day — has some Democratic leaders worried and has prompted party officials this week to scrap debate plans in advance of the next primaries.\
\
\
Complicating the issue as Mrs. Clinton started to close in on Mr. Obama’s popular vote lead was his inability to win over Pennsylvania’s seniors, white males and blue-collar voters. It’s a major warning sign that gives Mrs. Clinton wide room to argue that she would be the better Democratic nominee, even though her possible path to winning remains difficult.\
\
\
Presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain, meanwhile, can sit back and enjoy the spectacle of the Democrats bloodying each other for at least the next few weeks and, potentially, into the summer.\
\
\
As the dust settles and the Democrats move on to Indiana — where she is favored for the May 6 contest but polls are tightening — and North Carolina, which he is expected to win, Mrs. Clinton will say the Pennsylvania result bolsters her claim she is “tested.”\
\
\
Exit polls showed an alarming chasm between the two Democrats — with only half of Clinton voters saying they would back Mr. Obama should he win the nomination. One-quarter of Clinton voters would back Mr. McCain while 19 percent said they would stay home in November entirely.\
\
\
Of Obama supporters, 67 percent said they would support Mrs. Clinton if she earns the party nod, 17 percent would back the Republican senator and 12 percent would not vote.